My Psychotherapy

What is EMDR?

EMDR is an acronym for 'Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing' and is a therapy beneficial for working with various presentations that may be underpinned by trauma.   

You may have experienced a singular event (e.g. witnessing or being involved in a serious crime or accident, for example) or you may have had more complex or multi-layered circumstances (e.g. childhood neglect or physical abuse, being bullied, medical issues particularly in childhood, homelessness, domestic abuse and many other experiences and there could be many other examples).   The legacy impact of these sort of experiences can lead to sleep disturbances, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, stuck-grief, avoidance issues and other distressing symptoms. 

EMDR is a collaborative therapy, organised around a structured 8-phase process. It is believed to support an innate self-healing process via memory reframing, changing emotional responses and thought patterns that may have become arrested following very stressful events.   Healing is not necessarily about creating 'joy' but rather may involve more subtle outcomes such as lessening distress to enhance resilience, peace and acceptance or to help promote more functionality.

How does EMDR Work?

One of the most unique elements of EMDR is the use of bilateral stimuli (BLS). BLS include therapist-led eye movements, left to right auditory cues or alternating left and right kinaesthetic pulses or tapping.  These can be undertaken manually or via specialist equipment such as light bars or auditory and hand held devices and there are pros and cons to each option, but therapists will optimise BLS with you. 

BLS are important within the over-arching structure of EMDR, rather than being EMDR in itself.  This is important, as other therapeutic approaches may suggest BLS alone represent EMDR and there is much more to the bone-fide EMDR therapy.  It is therefore important to seek EMDR professionals who have undertaken an approved training with an EMDR Europe approved trainer and practice EMDR therapy that is aligned with EMDR Europe standards.  You can find out more here - https://emdrassociation.org.uk/for-professionals/training/.

When clients start EMDR, they will be asked to describe their issues and what they would like to change or work on.  Therapists will then collect a relevant history of contributing events or experiences.  

In order to work out of trauma and into healing, EMDR promotes the development of the 'adaptive' networks through resourcing.  This strengthens the ability to connect with positive or empowering thoughts and feelings that will be vital for the self-healing process.  This is so important that there is an early resourcing phase which provides the foundations for later work. 

As EMDR proceeds to address the disturbing symptoms,  bilateral stimuli are applied in short sets by the therapist whilst clients are asked to simultaneously attend to specific information (imagery, thoughts, feelings, emotions and beliefs) collated about their key disturbing experiences.   The way the process is organised will be specific to the presenting issues and your unique circumstances.   

Therapists are trained to support you through your therapeutic process in different ways to standard talking-therapy approaches.  As you move toward the processing phases of this therapy, it can be very important that therapists do not over-intervene (especially verbally) whilst you are processing information, as this may interfere with your innate natural healing system.  However, therapists are always alongside you and use their expertise to ensure the optimal process is engaged.  Therapists may offer minimal verbal interventions when appropriate, or they may make small adjustments in the way bilateral stimuli are delivered, if necessary, to keep the process moving forward.